Sol Caribe – Closed

Sol Caribe appears doomed in Hoboken

A few Hoboken411 readers mentioned that the windows were covered over at Sol Caribe at 518 Washington Street.

Their phone was disconnected, and none of the online delivery sites they used list their establishment anymore.

Maybe the location is doomed, because we thought the food was pretty good there. Then again, some business people just aren’t cut out for this kind of work… it takes a good soul to make these things last.

Sol Caribe: Finally, a winner at 518 Washington in Hoboken!

1/26/2012:

Lots of things have been said about the previous restaurants that have occupied the spot at 518 Washington, people often used the phrase “revolving door” due to the lack of sustainability in this location.

The primary reason other restaurants didn’t last long is that it’s very hard to have a high-end / high-cost establishment succeed without a liquor license, which this space is missing.

Enter Sol Caribe, who finally found the right formula for what we hope will be long-term success. Read about our first experiences below!

Top 5 reasons Sol Caribe will thrive on the Avenue

Sol Caribe has all the ingredients to survive in this highly competitive (and often difficult to manage) city. Why do we think they’ll score a home run?

GREAT VALUE
Like I mentioned above, many of the previous restaurants tried to be high end, which severely limits your potential clients.

Sol Caribe has two ways to obtain tasty & affordable meal options: The $7.99 all day special (see flier), where you pick a protein, veggie, rice and another side to round out your hearty dish. Those specials are mixed up throughout the week to keep things interesting. Next, most of the full entrees are between $9 and $13 (including two sides), with just a few hovering in the $18, $19 range.

That price point is perfect for most customers – from students at Stevens, all the way up to the high rollers in Hoboken.

BYOB
In this economy, people who can afford “luxury” dinners, probably don’t care whether the restaurant is bring-your-own or not.

However, those who love BYOB restaurants – most likely also love getting a meal that is a good value.

So – this is a perfect match!

EMPANADAS & CHICHARONES
Even for those that want to pick something up on the run, Sol Caribe also offers tasty spanish “to go” items.

Empanadas for just $2 and awesome Chicharones(which were previously only available at the Cuban deli Calle 6) will definitely have loyal buyers here in Hoboken (myself included!)

For each “protein,” (Chicken, Beef, Pork, Fish), they have around 8 different styles from varios regions (i.e., Puerto Rico, Peru, Columbia, Spain, etc.)

This will certainly make almost any diner happy. They also offer smaller portions for the ladies that don’t like to pig out on the first date.

PARTY SPACE, KID FRIENDLY & GREAT CATERING
To round out what else makes Sol Caribe a big winner in Hoboken:

Very kid friendly. Just this week, gobs of stroller moms & nannies gathered in the back room while they enjoyed their delicious lunch while the kids were mesmerized by the cartoons playing on the hanging flat-screen TV’s.

Party Room for Rent. Hoboken411 gets many emails each month from residents or visitors looking for good options to hold various gatherings. The upstairs room at Sol Caribe is yet another nice choice in Hoboken.

Tasty Catering. In the short month Sol Caribe has been open, they’re getting rave reviews from various offices, schools and other organizations looking for reliable catering options for larger groups. From what I’ve heard – they’ve already earned quite a few repeat customers already.

An all around perfect fit in the Mile Square

The food we tried from the lunch special menu was fresh and well prepared (had the Puerto Rican Pork and Columbian Beef.) I even had a little taste of Peruvian Rice and plantains which might lure some folks off their low-carb lifestyle.

Next visit we’ll try the main entrees and a few other items (like the shakes) – and maybe even down a couple bottles of red wine in the process!

Overall, there should be no reason why any foodie in Hoboken would shy away from Sol Caribe. They hit the nail on the head!

I love Sol Caribe. Their $7.99 special may be the best deal in town. Good atmosphere, very friendly staff, quality food and the portions are filling. I’m always skeptical about these type of “specials”; usually either the food isn’t good or there are very small portions. I’m happy to say that neither is the case here.

Sol Caribe has it all! Amazing food, a friendly staff and great atmosphere.

The ambiance is beautiful. The walls are painted in vivid bright colors and when you mix that with the music, it makes you feel like you are back in the Caribbean!

When i first walked in, the smell of the food made my mouth water. The selection available was overwhelming! They have a different dish from all different regions. I ate the pork with rice and black beans. The food was OUTSTANDING! It actually took me back to my high school days when i used to eat Sunday rice and beans at a Cuban ex girlfriends grandparents home. I was pleasantly surprised and for only $7.99! For the taste and quality, it doesn’t get any better!

I truly had a great experience with this restaurant and really suggest stopping by to try it out. Like i said, for $7.99 you can’t lose.

How does it compare to La Isla i wonder? [quote comment=”213614″]Sol Caribe has it all! Amazing food, a friendly staff and great atmosphere.The ambiance is beautiful. The walls are painted in vivid bright colors and when you mix that with the music, it makes you feel like you are back in the Caribbean!When i first walked in, the smell of the food made my mouth water. The selection available was overwhelming! They have a different dish from all different regions. I ate the pork with rice and black beans. The food was OUTSTANDING! It actually took me back to my high school days when i used to eat Sunday rice and beans at a Cuban ex girlfriends grandparents home. I was pleasantly surprised and for only $7.99! For the taste and quality, it doesn’t get any better!I truly had a great experience with this restaurant and really suggest stopping by to try it out. Like i said, for $7.99 you can’t lose.[/quote]